Electric water heater



June 28, 1949. P, c, JONES 2,474,361

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Filed Nov. 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M yim.

I gvwQ/wfm PAUL 0. JO/YES;

June 28, 1949. P. c. JONES 2,474,361

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Filed Nov. 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 35 p401. -c. uo/vas,

Patented June 28, 1949 ELEGT-RIC WATER- HEATER :wPaul C. Jones, Nichols, S. 0. Application November 29, 1946, Serial N0.*712,806

2 Claims. 1

- This invention'relatesto electric water heaters,

' and more'particularlyof a type-adapted to be installed with anordinarycoaland water heating systemto serve as an auxiliaryand to be used during-the summertime when the coalstove is not in operation, and attimes when only a small quantity of hot-water is desired-within ashort duration orbe installed directly tot-he hot water separate from--one--'another-and wherein little space is consumedby the-insulation :andthe heating'coils so'that'the passage of waterthrough the pipe is-not--interfered--with-- and wherein the unitmaybe left in the-installation at all times,

even though the electricheater is not in use.

For othercobjects, :and1i0r a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to thegfollowing detailed description; taken; in

connection with'the accompanying drawings; in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of the upper portion of the electric heater installation and showing the faucet from which the hot water is drained when supplied from the electric heater arrangement.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken through one of the terminal connections of the heating elements and. as viewed on line 3-4;! of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the electric heater installation with portions broken away and shown in cross-section, but with the section being taken through a plane at right angles to the plane through which the section of Figure 1 has been taken.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the heating system showing a hot water tank connected with a stove and with the electric heater auxiliary connected into thetank.

Referring now particularly to Figure 5, there 1 is shown a hot water system including a boiler 5 H), a stove H, and an electric heater l2 disposed in the outlet pipe i 3 from the stove and embodying the features of thepresent invention. Water isdelivered to the stove from the hot water tank ii] through an'inlet pipe [4 taken from the bottom of the boiler, and after passing through the heating coils ofthe stove will pass upwardly through the outlet" pipe and the electric heater i2. 4 A chimney l5 extends upwardly from the stove to take off the smoke generated in the stove from coal-or'wood which has been fired. within the same. a At the topof the boiler it are outletand'return pipes; Hiand l'lfor delivering and returning hot Water from and to the boiler. 7" Referring. now particularly to Figures 1 to 4, go idescription will be made of the auxiliary electric 'heaterili. 1 This heater is included within a tube V or pipet2l.g. Thevpipe housesan insulating sleeve 3;.22 containing a heating element 23 which extends :rdownone .sideof an asbestos insulating member 5524centrally'disposedwithin the tube 22 and then wpasseszupwardly-on; the opposite side of the as- JbGStOS meinberifii'to. the top of the tube or sleeve 1: 22; .The lower, end of .thepipe-2| is threaded into i a reducing couplingfi25 threaded upon an outlet glpipeil3. i."l?ha:.upper end of the pipe H has a T,-.fittingl 2ii-connected to, it from which there extends a spigot or faucet 21. To the upper end of the fitting there is connected a coupling 28 for the attachment thereto of a pipe 29. On opposite sides of the T-fitting are terminal members 3| and 32 extending from the interior of the fitting to the exterior thereof for the attachment thereto of current supply wires 33 and 34 which may be connected to any source of current supply.

Each terminal member 3! or 32 is surrounded by a spool-like insulation element 35 which is extended through an opening 36 in the T-fitting 26. This terminal is made secure upon the insulation element 35 by a nut 31, and the wire is in turn made secure on the terminal by a washer 38 and a nut 39. The end of the heater element is connected to the inner end of the terminal 3i between two washers 4| and 42, the latter of which abuts with a head formation 43 on the end of the terminal element 3|.

At times during the summer months when the stove H is not in operation, and it is desired to obtain in a short time a small quantity of water, the electric current is turned on by making the connection of the wires 33 and 34 with an elecpipe line from the stove to the tric source, and with an arrangement such as I have shown I have been able to obtain a pint of hot water within ninety seconds from the time the current has been turned on, and thus enough water to shave with. Since the asbestos central strip 2 extends the full length of the pipe 21, good insulation is effected and at times When there is no water in the tube, the heater element 23 will be supported against collapse or any tendency oi the same to fill the tube and cause the same to be obstructed. The amount of space taken up by the heater element 23 and the asbestos strip 24 is negligible and will not at any time interfere with the operation of the hot water system such as when dependency is made upon the stove for the hot water being delivered to the tank ID. If desired, the electric heater can be used along with the stove when the stove is in operation, and when it is desired to build up the water supply in the tank quickly, but preferably the electric heater installation is utilized for obtaining small quantities of hot water at times when the stove is not being used.

This heater can be installed in connection with an ordinary coal water heater, or installed directly to a hot Water tank, independent of any coal heater. It will furnish enough hot water when used alone continuously from tank for all ordinary purposes, including bathtub. By the faucet at top of heater, a small amount of hot water can be obtained almost instantly. Closing this faucet allows hot water to enter tank and is stored up to be drawn through pipe [6.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. An electric heater installation for a hot water supply system including a hot water tank and a stove and adapted to produce small quantities of hot water within a short time and independently of the hot water tank comprising a large tube having fittings upon the opposite ends adapted to be disposed between sections of the outlet pipe of said stove which normally heats the hot water for said tank, a valve-controlled outlet fitting at one end of the tube for removing the hot water generated within the installation, terminal elements extending through the outlet fitting and insulated therefrom, a heating element extending downwardly from one of the terminals throughout the extent of the tube and thence upwardly throughout the tube for connection with the other terminal, said fitting at the outlet end of the tube being a T-fitting, and a spigot connected to said fitting, said terminal elements being connected to the opposite sides of said fitting.

2. An electric heater installation for a hot water supply system including a hot Water tank and a stove and adapted to produce small quantities of hot water within a short time and independently of the hot water tank comprising a large tube having fittings upon the opposite ends adapted to be disposed between sections of the outlet pipe of said stove which normally heats the hot water for said tank, a valve-controlled outlet fitting at one end of the tube for removing the hot water generated within the installation, termina1 elements extending through the outlet fitting and insulated therefrom, a heating element extending downwardly from one of the terminals throughout the extent of the tube and thence upwardly throughout the tube for connection with the other terminal, an insulating strip extending downwardly throughout the tube and between the downwardly extending and upwardly extending portions of the heater element, said fitting at the outlet end of the pipe being a T-fitting, a spigot connected to the T-fitting, said terminals being connected to opposite sides of the T-fitting, and the insulating strip extending upwardly into the T-fitting and between the terminals, and an insulating sleeve surrounding the heating element and the insulating strip and filling the pipe containing the same.

PAUL C. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 925,155 Chesney et a1 June 15, 1909 1,298,301 David Mar. 25, 1919 1,387,819 Werner Aug. 16, 1921 1,515,261 Lightfoot Nov. 11, 1924 1,818,808 Max Aug. 11, 1931 2,041,917 Florman May 26, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,458/28 Australia May 21, 1929 

